Doughnut Muffins

Sweet, cake-like and scented with cinnamon and nutmeg, these muffins taste remarkably like doughnuts.

Servings: 12 muffins

Total Time:45 Minutes

Ingredients

For Muffin Batter

1 cupmilk (low-fat is fine)

1 tablespoonlemon juice

3 cupsall-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off

2-1/2 teaspoonsbaking powder

1/4 teaspoonbaking soda

2 teaspoonsground nutmeg

1 teaspoonsalt

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks)unsalted butter, softened but still cool

1 cupgranulated sugar

2large eggs

1-1/2 teaspoonsvanilla extract

For Muffin Topping

3 tablespoonsunsalted butter

3 tablespoonsgranulated sugar

2-1/4 teaspoonscinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the milk and lemon juice in a measuring cup or bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Mix in the vanilla.

Add a third of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix on low speed to combine. Add half of the milk mixture and mix well. Mix in another third of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix until evenly combined but don't over-mix. The batter will be very thick.

Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup to the rim. (I like to use an ice cream scoop with a wire scraper for this.) Bake the muffins until firm to the touch, 25-30 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

In the meantime, prepare the toppings: Melt the butter in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk the cinnamon and sugar together.

When the muffins are cool enough to handle, working one by one, use a pastry brush to paint the top of each muffin with butter, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar. If you have cinnamon-sugar left over, sprinkle muffins again. Serve warm, or cool on a rack and wrap airtight. Store at room temperature. Reheat muffins briefly in microwave for that fresh out of the oven taste.